Switch-point lock.



' No. 884,006. PATENTED APR. 7, 1908 v G.- B. BLEVINS. SWITCH POINT .LOGK.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.1,1907.-

UNITE o smrns PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE B. BLEVINS, or LI TlLE Rock, ARKANSAS.

' SWITCH-POINT 'LOCK.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented April 7, 1908.

, Application filed October 1, 1907. Serial No. 395,352.

To all-whom it may concern:

Be it own that-I, GEORGE B. B'Lnvms, a citlzen the United States, residing .at

Little Rock, in the countyof Pulaski and State of .Arkansas, have invented certain new; and useful I111 rovements in Switch- Point Locks, of whic the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My 'nven'tion relates to railway switches,

particularly of 'that class used in street rail- Ways "and trolley roads where the switch oint 'ismov'ed to and 'fro manually being,

o'osely pivoted in a suitable cavityor' depression in the frog, or portion ofthe track rail at the location ofsuch switch point. With switches of this class considerable difliculty isexperienced from cars splitting the switch in which case th e fronttrucks, take one track while the reartruc'ks take the.

other. Even if this does not actually occur,

' it is common for the'switch point to become arred or'sprung out of itsproper position at one side or the other, while the car is passing,

so that the point lies in the path ofthe wheel flanges. In

order to overcome these difiicultles various ing the -SWltCh point pressed at one limit or .the. other of its throw. 0

The present invention relates to certain -features of improvement in mech'an is1n of this class, and aims to provide a detent or construction,

likemechanismfor-the switch point which. is of maximum simplicity and cheapness of and which is very efiicient 'in .Withthis object in view the invention consists in the features of constructionand combination as hereinafterset forth and claimed..-

. .In the drawings: Figure a top or plan.

view ofa switch .point embodying the principles of lily-invention; Fig. 2 is .a section on the lineII-PII ofFighl, looking in the direc-'.

tionof, the arrows and Fig.3 is a detail per:

' .spective View showing the construction of operating spring. I It 15 evident that any switch po nt lock or mechanism issubjected. to the most unfavorable conditions in use being exposed more or, less to the dustan'd dirt and waterof the street. \In the. present invention all the parts are ofsuch's1mple character (sliding parts, spiral springs, etc.,. being entirely eliminated) that no hamrresults if they are aubjected-toidustand and corroded by lans have-been .pro osed including spring ocks and detents for veep moisture and exposure. It is. necessary to have these characteristics in order that any mechanism may be practical in the-installa-- tion ofa street railway switch.

. Referring to the drawing in which like parts are designated by the same reference sign, 1 indicates a-switch'point, pivoted at 'the point 2 of the usual frog 3, so as to swing laterally back nd forth in its containing groove or cavity 4'.

5 indicates the usual guardrail ing a portion of the frog ortrack section at the location of the switch oint. These features are. of the ordinary an 'well known construction and of themselves v constitute no part of the present invention.

6 indicates a box or-casing conveniently. made integrally of cast iron, for example the usual ring box 'sup lied with railway switches and either adapted to be inserted in the roadbed at a location substantially opposite the switch point or forming a permanent art of the frog. This 'box may be open at t e top soas to be closedby anordmarycover 7', similar to those employed with man holes in various relations.

-8 indicates a lever arm pivoted at one end on a Wall of thebox' 6 so as-toextend transversely across the interior of the box at one end thereof. This lever arm maybe made in different Ways,butI refer the structure shown and particularly 1i lustrated' in Fig. 2. In this construction, 9 indicates a pair of plates or bars spaced apart apredetermined distance by a s acings block 10-. I rovido "bolts 11,115,an 26, passed through t e late or bars 9 at points between the spacing b ocks which serve to ri idly connect or tie'the plates to ether.

additiona function later appear.

2 The bolt 11 serves as apivot. or fulcrum for the lever arm-8 being passed through a block 12, w hich is rigidly secured to the wall of the box 6. A convenient construction "of the block 12is that shown, having a threaded stem 13, adapted to enter a correspondingly J threaded hole in the wall of the box.

' 14 indicatesa lock nut which can be screwed down upon .i he stern 13, so asto' bind the same'in its engagement upon the wall and secure the bloc 12 improper rigid ,relation. This arrangement permits an 'adjustment of the block '12 away from and tovward its supporting wall,

ach ofthesebolts has an' in the mechanism as will- I also formlio I @The bolt 15'serves as a pin or-fulcrum fora o'therend roller 16 received betvi'reen the'platesorbms 9 at the outerextremity 0f '13l-16lQY81 arm-8; The peripheral surface ofthis-rollerisgrooyed' with a c, annel or. groove of rounde trans-v yersesction; This groove is: formed quitedeeply in the'rolle'r' and exerts an important function in the apparatus as will later a ear,-

1? denotesan inte ral' metallic 'J ade, preferably ofqsteel -of tie type jused inparriage, sprln'gs, etc." This springvisadapted to be forged complete in all respects, without requiring any machine; work Whatever. It is first bent into the form shoWn, hav1n:a

V x 'r r i .1 clined ewefrorna portion 19," atfthe-en-d, being'j'o'ined' thereto by a -cur'ved seetionec ofrgenerallysteeper inclination, I

' 22 indicate holes or openings forged: the

I flat portion 19$Eand ada ted to receive bolts orfscre'ws 23 byjvhich t e sprin blade is se curelyelainped to the Wall of te'bob; 6' .on the side opposite'to that at'whioh the lever" arm 8:i s pivote d. The outer end of the'blade 1 spring; 17 is forged toi' orrn' an o al-protuben, "ancc. 24lwhich-projects quite sharply from the'surface of thesn'rrou'nding blade and-has;

a curvature roughlypo -rr'esponding iii) the; curve of the roller 16.- Thlsprotuberance eanbe quickly struck np -when the metal is heated by the use ofua-disk or by hammering vthe-{In'etal into adepres'sion'fi The 's'pringban is thus completed thronghout without may tnberance 124 lies directly 0 posite Ithe' leyer arm; 8, and engages the re er. 16, when said leverlarnb is, in a position generallyperpen dic'ular to the direction ofgt I ebla'de, j Under these circumstances the leverarm 8 lies ape 'proxirnately in 'jlig position: extending Ij trans;

-'. versely-across thebox 6 asindicatedin-Fig. 1

f "25 indicates; alink -"c o1infecting the lever arm-8 with the; switch point. The link 25 is pivoted "'to' the le er: arm 8 at [substantially the middle thereof at the bolt 26 and at its rails and t eswitjeh pomtl.

'28 indicate l bolts on the. threaded exea iii .Ig'sarne..with,greatj security topsaid lin'lcf This eng' eni'ent ofithe li-n'k with the switc'zli point 1 j 's'ite si es} of the switch poi 'nt'so 'asto tie,the

is en ciently flexible-under ordinary' pracfe I :ti'cal .conditio'nshy virtue ofthe loosene'ss of j I the'bolts, *to -aeeognli1odat'e the ii-very angular mow'meilt -oftheswitch: poin 1n its ewe-a5 bh-zme haiiirhfiesede ed I e. 'rolle1 ";1-6 bears against the center of the protuhele fi 2-4. 'whenaflthe ,switeh'point vis atexactlythe middle position of its throw.

l Undergtliese \circumstances the roller; I- is strongly pressed to one side'orthe other of p aid-protuberance whenl'the'j'switch pointis nameto either liin'itofite thro w,,;and laya- I asses thro gh holes; in g u ar d tho'ioil anti-friction-engagernent. I It a will be rther noted that'the degree'of movement of the roller 16 is enerally equal to of the articular lever connections employed. It;1s,.o v'ious that the exacticlation may be proportions shown.

this part may be exposed to considerable frictlO IlffOH'l dirt, etcl, and it is desirable to have a considerable meehanical leverage applied thereto so that its frictionwilI not'interfere Withthe operation;-'. I f

,Itis evident that the present arrangement lateral holes-in the 'uardrail'fi of the -frog apparatus in place, installingthelever arrn' sider this an important ractical featnre of the inyention since=in t is Way'theswitch point lock'for detentfmaybe applied to any locking meansis-fonnd to'exist. I By. means of the'grooyed r lleif '16 which engages a rounded protuberanee ofthe blade arinj-S 'kept snstainedlagaiinst gravity in otal 'si 'pport-in'thelblock- '12; Such engage maintaine we lsor snrfacesL'Q this'way the parts are or 'wear nterfering with their proper fund a What I claim, ,is:'..

,engagingseid roller; ,end a.1ink said-leverarm tothe switch.-'

' '2: Ina switch dimmer; a;

ne ti -gaging saidsroller In-a mtbh point, a lever c'i'aoperating with 13116 roller" t prevnt'lateral v-moveimr it Zthere'of,' and a link-connecting said lever arm .to -tlie svigitch I point;

m a, memg b ad :Sai ever'erm-tq erd andgfrorm's'aid blade,

that of the end'of the ewitc point on account but althondghileyer ann -.8; .is constantly keptin'sueh'perfectlengaging relation,

itvis nevertheless virtually floating en a'geinent, sincethq e arenofixedgguiding I I ,1 and alinkconnecting said *fleyer"armtotheewiteh'point; V p

av n a l' e a spring "blade bearing fthefreagai-nst' and,

vyaried but in'practice I prefer about the The link 25' has a ery imit'ed movement; which -is--d.esi1'able,{ as

maybe embodied in the construction of a, a switch pointlwhenlit is initiallyjinade, or itnlay be a plied to-any existing switch pointin useli't I eing merely necessary to borethe and-in theswitchfpolnt1, andtheflZboltthe and spring'in, thensnal-sprin'g box." I con-' I existingfswitchy wherey'er the need of s iich' s ringlbein g'fk'ept impelledthereagainst by t e'tensionjfof suchfspringI blade, the lever" its proper: operative-relation; regardless ofv c nsi able-- w earfand looseness' of its piv- I 1 nientfls also maintained in .spite of the rough .iisage'to'which the switch' is always subjected,-

I insured againstieit'her dust, "dirt, corrosion.

" ;1. In'a switch point-lock, aley 'er arr n ha'v .i a fi e i s-e sp ladeha g a flee-end.

I lever-arm hay ,g'flfilgroeve'd Q lflryfaSpring nbladex-having Ta;'rounded;protuberance-"atits free end en I 4 im 1 a? a v g ire-fi n enga s' ald rol'ler, mean for;v adj usting I I v switch point.

anda linkconnecting said lever arm to the 5. In a switch' o'int look, a lever arm comprisin two bla es held in predetermined space a art relation; a roller, bolts connecting said lades and serving as ,pivots for the arm and said rollers respectively,f aspring blade having a-free end engaging said roller, and a link connecting said lever arm to the switch point. p 1

' 6. In a switch point lock, a lever arm having :a pair of s aced plates, threebolts connecting said p ates, spacing blocks interme diate said bolts, a link connecting'one of said bolts to the switch point, a roller'journaled on another bolt, a s ring blade engaging said roller, and means or supporting said lever arm on the remaining bolt as a fulcrum.

7. .In a switch oint look, a lever arm having a roller, a spring blade having a free end engaging said roller, a link connected to said lever arm and having a threaded end; and bolts for said threaded end, whereby it may be attached to the switch point,

- 8. In combination with a switch pointhaving a lateral hole, a lever arm having a roller, 'a spring blade having a, free end engagblade having an egg-shaped protuberance i embossed on its free end and engaging the groove of said roller, and a link connecting said lever arm to the switch oint.

10. In a switch point 100 a casin a lever armFhaVing' a roller, a spring b adeengagin said roller, and a block havinga threade stem to which said lever arm is ivoted, said stem having a lock nut whereby 1t is locked in its containing casing.

In witness whereof, I subscribe my signature, 1n the presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE B. BLEVINS. Witnesses:

L. HJHoL ANn, J. CURTIS.

.ing'a roller with a rounded groove, a spring 

